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181536 Evaluating a Faith-Based Cancer Education Program for African Americans in South Carolina

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Marvella E. Ford, PhD , Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
June Streets , Voorhees College, Denmark, SC
Beth McClary, MS , Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Amy E. Herrin, MS , Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Marylou B. Stinson, MS , South Carolina Cancer Alliance, Columbia, SC
James W. Etheredge, MPA , Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Elizabeth Garrett-Mayer, PhD , Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Purpose/Goals of Project: South Carolina ranks high in the nation in cancer death, particularly among African Americans. While financial barriers to care are considerable, lack of knowledge about cancer is an additional barrier. In 2007, we formed statewide partnerships to develop a series of faith based cancer education programs to overcome this barrier and reduce cancer disparities.

Methodology: Three hundred African American women participated in the first program, which took place as part of a regional faith-based women's conference. Information pertaining to cancer prevention and early detection was disseminated, including information on the HPV vaccine. A 36-item survey was administered pre- and post-program. Change in knowledge was measured using the observed mean change and a 95% confidence interval.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 61 years, 93% were African American, nearly 85% had completed high school, and 29% reported an annual household income of $40,000 or more. Cancer knowledge scores increased from 79% (95% CI: 77%-80%) pre-survey to 84% (95% CI: 82%-85%) post survey. An HPV knowledge question was: “True or False: The HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer”. It was answered correctly pre-program by only 53% of the participants, and by 63% post-program.

Implications: The program resulted in an increase in cancer knowledge in a group of middle class, older African American women at a faith-based conference who had a high initial level of cancer knowledge.

Sustainability: Future studies could replicate the cancer education program in groups with greater variation in socioeconomic status and age.

Learning Objectives:
Objective 1: To describe the components of a faith based cancer education program. Objective 2: To provide information that could be used to develop interventions to improve communication about cancer and cancer risk.

Keywords: African American, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have presented at APHA for the past 3 years. In addition, I am the Associate Director for Cancer Disparities at the Medical University of South Carolina's Hollings Cancer Center. The program described in the abstract is a part of our initiative to reduce cancer disparities throughout the state.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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